Moving Spirit

Goin' to the dogs!

I was asked if I wanted to try painting a dog portrait and I thought I'd give it a try. Actually I had a lot of fun painting this sweet Australian shepherd face and the person who commissioned it is satisfied. This will go to the owner for her birthday. This dog is recently deceased so it should be a poignant present. Her eyes remind me of my old black lab who was a joy in my life. Notice the reflections in the eyes are actually little hearts. Cutsie? Maybe but also fun.

Women's History Celebration

At Fire and Water in Lowell (219 West Main) we're having a women's history reception on Sunday, March 16 from 2-4to show our self-portraits and to read about women who have inspired us on our artistic journey. Come join us if you can! For a preview, visit our blog: http://fireandwaterart.blogspot.com/

Maybe we'll see you there!

Here's one of mine. This one is done in pastel. It is exhibited along with Vee Gates, a new autobiographical self-portrait that I blogged a few weeks ago.

Another passing

These are my in-laws, Mary and Max Conover. They were both very dear people. Mom left this earth for heaven in June of 2007 and last week Dad got his wish and was able to join her there. They both were able to be at home until the end thanks to caring family members and Spectrum Hospice. We will miss them but we rejoice in their faith and salvation.

AERIAL series

These are a few of the aerial series I've been working on for a while. They just got finished. There are a few more underway on my work table. The first 3 are 6 in square wrapped canvases, the next 3 are 12'' squares and the last is 18"x24". All of them are installed at Fire and Water on my newly painted wall- I spent yesterday changing my wall color from a light yellow to a warm 'pecan'. It really sets off the work. I'll have to photograph it next time I go. I worked from 12:30 until 7 and was too tired to tend to many nuances! But the labels are up.

VEE GATES (Wie geht's)

This work is 25x35 inches. It's titled VEE GATES (Wie geht's). It's a play on German for How are you doing? and also VEE (my first initial) and the concept of GATES which has been the subject of a couple sermons I've heard recently. Gates mark out the way, welcoming all, excluding none. Inviting, not guarding. And the idea of being OPEN! Lots of wonderful Biblical references and metaphors to gates. "Lift up your heads, oh, ye Gates and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors and the King of Glory shall come in."

I worked on top of another painting called Light of the World. Some of that painting is still there, but it's layered with photocopies, tissue paper and words collaged onto the surface, stamps, stencil, brush strokes, permanent marker... pictures of family, gates, keys, and puzzle pieces. I think it's finished. It's a self-portrait. Fire and Water is having a display of self portraits by women artists during the month of March. I'll hang it there and then I can decide if it's finished.

MOVING SPIRIT 1 installed

Here is what Moving Spirit 1 looks like framed and installed. What a great wall color!

Lowell entry

This piece "Arise and Shine" was accepted into the Lowell Regional.

exciting news

Very encouraging news!I just found out that four of the paintings from the St Mary's Health Care show have sold!! I love it when my work finds a good home! Now I'm scrambling to find some things that would fit into those empty spaces on the wall. Maybe this one..... it's always been a favorite of mine.

Ash Wednesday

This is Ash Wednesday- this year it's more like snow Wednesday. Many services marking the beginning of Lent are canceled. The snow is a heavy blanket across our area. Maybe the sadness we feel under this crush of weather is a good metaphor for the weight of sin before redemption.

praying

This is a poem my wonderful niece Sara has posted in her kitchen. I look forward to reading more by this author.
I need more thoughts like this! Whew!

Praying

It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

- Mary Oliver

ANASTASIS finished!

The Anastasis banner for Park Church is finished! I'm including an ancient icon that tells the story in a traditional way. On my rendition, I see the entire story of salvation played out. The cross is there, but the cloud of disciples are witnesses to the truth of the resurrection. Christ gleams in triumph over death and invites us to participate in the new day of salvation.

Calvin Worship Symposium

This year's Symposium was just as wonderful as the last two. Awesome worship and amazing presenters. Michael Card, Calvin Seerveld, Shelley Marinus and Dallas Willard were standouts.

In the visual arts, this year I met Jeanne Logan and Mako Fujimura (who are googlable and wonderful). Last year I met Linda Henke (who is very googlable and a wonderful artist) and she has become a friend and mentor. Steve Caton from Grand Haven is also an amazing resource.

I just couldn't say enough good things about my experience this weekend! It was an amazing spiritual experience that will enrich my life and work in the next year.

Celebration!

I just found out that both of my entries into the Celebration show at First United Methodist Church in downtown Grand Rapids were accepted! I've had pieces in the show before but having TWO pieces accepted is a real delight! This is their 35th annual show.

The vertical piece is REDEEMED ONE and the other is JACOB'S LADDER

REEDEEMED ONE is approximately 10"x30" and it's in a frame I 'redeemed'. JACOB'S LADDER is approx. 18"x24"

Sweet Peas

I could blog about the snow piling up around us or how cold it was out moving it around, but this picture of sweet peas came across my screen saver and I thought other people might want a reminder of warmer days and the miracles that bloom from the earth. That magenta color is so brilliant to me in the middle of January!

I've set my computer to use all my photos of flowers as my screensaver and it seems it was a wise move. I've enjoyed the colors and the sight of sun on and through the blooms.

Installation at St. Mary's Health Care

This is the installation of my work at St Mary's Health Care. It's in their main lobby through the end of February. The photos are dark, but you get the idea. What an honor to show there! Last week when I went to straighten name tags and check the show, I had many nice conversations with people passing by.

'Anastasis' in progress

This is the progress of the Easter banner I was commissioned to do . It's hard to get a decent picture of it laying down on my work table. What remains is that it all needs to be attached! I guess I know what I'll be doing in the next few weeks! I have some books on tape and I'm happy to be out of the weather and tucked into my studio.

St Mary's Health Care

My friend Mary Andersen and my wonderful husband Fred Conover helped me for 4 and a half hours yesterday hanging 21 pieces of my work in the lobby of St. Mary's Health Care on Jefferson in GR. The hanging system is a security locking system and quite complex. I'm glad I'm both left and right brained! The show looks good and unfortunately, we learned the hard way not to hang a large painting with a metal frame the way the directions said to hang it! This painting fell off the wall because the frame bowed as we were working on getting a piece onto the wall next to it. The glass broke and fortunately the descent of it was stopped by Mary who was standing right in front of it! (She wasn't hurt- but it prevented the piece from shattering on the floor!) I caught it. The painting wasn't damaged. My friend Deidre is replacing the glass with plexi and my left brain has figured out a way to hang the piece avoiding the edge! Other than that, the show looks good and we got many positive comments while hanging it. It's an honor to have work there and a few pieces are along the route of patients on gurneys on their way to surgery. I hope they are a blessing to them.